Herbs

CAUTION: PLEASE BE ABSOLUTELY SURE TO CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK THE HERB’S SAFETY NOT JUST FOR BEING POISONOUS/HARMFUL BUT ALSO FOR ANY POSSIBLE REACTIONS THAT MAY OCCUR DUE TO CURRENT MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND/OR MEDICATIONS. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING YOU CHOOSE TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HERE.

It has been said that during the Burning Times, witches would pass each other an acorn as secret a way to identify each other. It has also been said that at Samhain witches would give each other acorns as gifts. I’m not sure if these statements can be proven, but I love the idea of “passing the acorn”, and will try to incorporate it into my Samhain lore and rituals.

Long ago all of Europe was covered in a vast forest, and the oak tree was the most common and the most useful. “The proof of this is drawn partly from the statements of classical writers, partly from the remains of ancient villages built on piles in lakes and marshes, and partly from the oak forest which have been found embedded in peat-bogs.” The Golden Bough by James George Frazer

From 65,000 to 9,000 B.C.E. during the glacial ice age, forests and people migrated towards the more temperate areas of Earth. These tiny pockets of ice-free Earth were a refuge where the ice-age people created beautiful art painted on caves and carved into images. It was during this time that the mysterious Goddess of Willendorf was created (32,000-26,000 B.C.E). She is one of the most sacred of the Paleolithic images and may be evidence of the acorn as a food source and sustainer of life. If you look closely at the Goddess you will see that her face is an acorn snuggled into its cap which forms her hair. Her breasts look like a pair of acorns, and the skinny arms resting upon them resemble the acorn cap rims. Her rounded, full belly, rather than depicting pregnancy may be telling us that the acorn supply was plentiful and she has eaten well.

Could the Goddess of Willendorf be Acorn Mother rather than a Goddess of fertility?

Acorns can be eaten after being soaked in water to remove the tannin. The tannin water is a useful antiseptic and has anti-viral properties. It will relieve rashes, minor burns and poison ivy. The red tannin may also be used as a dye.

Metaphysically the acorn is a symbol of growth, potential, fertility, security and abundance. From a tiny seed comes a mighty tree whose roots extend as far into the Earth as its branches reach into the sky. As with the oak, human potential is begun from a seed of inspiration that with nurturing and patience will grow and flourish.

Gather acorns and place them on your windowsill to protect against lightning strikes.

Acorns gathered during the Full Moon will attract Faeries. If you plant an acorn at Full Moon, the resulting oak will be a Faerie tree.

When the Moon is waxing, plant an acorn and gold will be drawn to you.

To find out if someone is your true love, use two acorn caps. Name one cap for yourself, the other cap for the significant other. Float the caps in a bowl of water. If they float together, it is true love; if they float apart it is not love.

Basil is the herb most associated with attracting prosperity and wealth. The leaves are thought to resemble paper money and basil is also identified with Lakshmi the Goddess of good fortune. Legend has it that Lakshmi was transformed into a pot of basil by a rival for her husband’s affections. Though She was able to shape-shift back into her original body, all basil plants have retained Her essence.

Placing pots of basil near your front door to bring luck and wealth. While you nurture the basil you also nurture your wealth and success.

Make a strong tea of fresh basil leaves, let the tea steep for three days, strain, then add the liquid to your floor washing water to ensure wealth and luck.

ELDER – Exorcism, protection, healing, prosperity, sleep. Elderberry has the power to bridge the divide between physical and the spiritual realm. It represents Holle, Goddess of Death and Regeneration, who protects the life cycle and who also protects those transitioning into death and the Underworld. Elder twigs were often placed in coffins or buried with loved ones to beseech the protection of the Goddess Holle and grant them safe passage into the Underworld. Magical tools made with elder branches can ward off evil from magical practice.

Use a wand made of Elder to summon spirits.

To use Elder for blessing make an oil using the flowers or scatter the flowers and leaves to the wind while naming the person or thing that you wish to bless.

GINGER -Draws adventure and new experiences. Promotes sensuality, sexuality, personal confidence and prosperity. Adds to the strength of any mixture of which it is part, and makes it work more quickly.

LILAC – Lilac drives away evil where it is planted or strewn, and indeed in New England lilacs were originally planted to keep evil from the property. The flowers, fresh, can be placed in a haunted house to help clear it.

MANDRAKE – Mandrake comes in two forms, a long root like a carrot and more rarely with a head, two arms and legs in the form of a man. The carrot shaped root can be cut into pieces to use in magick concerning money, fertility, sex, love, virility and good luck. The man shaped root is never cut up, instead it is preserved whole and used for all magickal workings. It is a most powerful herb, and will become a vessel for other spirits or familiars to live within.

To make an alliance with a Mandrake root, it should be cleansed and “fed” on a regular basis with milk or wine.

MAPLE – Love, longevity, money

MARIGOLD – Promotes healing, psychic opening, and clairvoyance. Helps one to focus on what is truly needed, even if one is not conscious of what that is.

ORANGE or ORANGE BLOSSOM -Harmony, peace, emotional openness, love. Attracts prosperity and stability. Also used for purification. Considered very Solar.

ORCHID – Concentration, focus, will power. Also strengthens memory.

OREGANO – Joy, strength, vitality and added energy.

OREGON GRAPE – Money, popularity

ORRIS – Love, protection, divination

PALM, DATE – fertility, potency

PANSY – Love, rain magick, love divination

PAPAYA – Love, protection

PAPYRUS – Protection

PARSLEY – Lust, protection, purification

PASSION FLOWER – Peace, sleep, friendships

PATCHOULY – Money, fertility, lust

PEA – Money, love

PEACH – Love, exorcism, longevity, fertility, wishes

PEAR – Lust, love

PECAN – Money, employment

PENNYROYAL – Strength, protection, peace

PEONY – Protection, exorcism

Peony is of the Sun and Leo, but also has to properties of the Moon, and so balances both sources of light. Legend has it that the peony flower was created by the Moon Goddess to reflect Her light during the night to protect Her children. Gather Peony roots, flowers and seeds at night during a waxing or full Moon.

Peony seeds are very magickal, and are said to shine with their own inner light. If you’re lucky enough to have flowers that have set seed, harvest them under the light of the Full Moon, and allow them to dry. They may be used in charms and talismans of protection or threaded on a white string to be worn as a necklace of protection against harm.

Peony roots have the power to protect against misfortune, bolster health, break jinxes, and draw good fortune. Peony roots may be carved into protective amulets or made into beads that can be worn during rituals. After harvesting, clean the roots with water and then carve them while they are still fresh. Once dried the roots become as hard as rocks! To make beads slice the roots into thin rounds and pierce the rounds with a fat needle. Allow the amulets or beads to dry before using them.

Dried peony flowers have a subtle, intoxicating scent. Because they are a perfect balance of the Sun God and the Moon Goddess, I often use them as a ritual offering. The lovely pale, scented, petals sprinkled on or around the Altar draw me deeply into the magick and mystery of witchcraft.

TOBACCO – Used to promote peace, confidence, personal strength. Also promotes love and sensuality. Also used for protection and freedom from outside influences. Voodoo/hoodoo/Voodon choice gift to the spirits.

VERVAIN (Verbena) – Protection, repels negativity, promotes peace and tranquility, vervain tea will ward of vampires, burn leaves to attract wealth, combine with dill to create a wash to banish baneful energy, sacred to Thor and Jupiter, infuse in water and sprinkle on the Altar for purification, carry a sprig to protect against baneful magick, Vervain enhances the magick of other herbs when combined with them

Making Herbal Infusions

Herbal infusions are potent water-based preparations. They are superb for extracting the medicinal properties of dried herbs. You can drink them or use them externally as skin washes, compresses, douches, sitz baths,or poultices.

How are they different from a tea? They are made using larger amounts of herbs and are steeped in an air-tight container for at least several hours. You can drink them at room temperature, reheated, or over ice.

Quart size canning jars are ideal to use because they rarely break when you pour boiling water into them as long as they are at room temperature when water is added. They also allow for a tight seal.

Using Dried Leaves

Put 1 ounce (a large handful) of dried leaves into a quart jar and fill the jar with boiling water.

Screw the lid on tight and let steep until completely cool.

Strain out plant material.

Using Dried Roots or Barks

Put 1 ounce (a large handful) of dried roots or bark into a pint jar and fill the jar with boiling water.

Screw the lid on tight and let steep until completely cool.

Strain out plant material.

Using Dried Flowers

Put 1 ounce (a large handful) of dried flowers into a quart jar and fill the jar with boiling water.

Screw the lid on tight and let steep 2 or 3 hours.

Strain out plant material.

Using Dried Seeds

Put 1 ounce (a large handful) of dried seeds into a pint jar and fill the jar with boiling water.

Screw the lid on tight and let steep for 1/2 hour – no more or the taste will be bitter.

Strain out seeds.

Herbal Baths

When used in the tub, the medicinal properties of an herbal infusion will be absorbed through the skin.Add 2 quarts of a strained infusion to your bath water and enjoy!

Herbal Sitz Bath

For a sitz bath, fill a large, shallow bowl or pan with at least 2 quarts of strained infusion and have a seat!

Herbal Poultices

For an herbal poultice you will retain the plant material from your infusion and apply it directly to the desired area. The liquid can be used to wash the area first if desired. This is an effective way to treat infections or wounds.

Herbal Compress

For an herbal compress you retain the plant material from an infusion and place it in a clean cloth or piece of gauze. Place it on desired area. You can dip it in the liquid from your infusion if desired. Compresses are useful for treating eye styes or when you don’t want plant material to enter open wounds.

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the cross check part was absolutely hilarious… my boss is absolutely livind seeing me laugh like that… how on this good old earth do u come up with these sir??? (follows that question with a small ritual of bowing before the monitor arms sttplched)seeechress after that…